You Have Transgressed - Ezra 10:10

In the book of Ezra, Ezra said, “all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain”, and in chapter ten and verse ten of Ezra, Ezra said, “you have transgressed, and have taken strange wives”, where we read,

And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, 

You have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. 

The verse reads, “And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, ...” Ezra began with the words, “and Ezra the priest” or “and Ezra whose name means help and was the priest and scribe or spiritual spokesman and leader who led the reforms of the returned exiles in Jerusalem” “stood up” or “arose”, “and said unto them” which means “and uttered, declared and proclaimed to them, the people of Israel who were gathered in Jerusalem”. Ezra shared how he arose and began to speak to the people of Israel who were gathered. 

The verse goes on to say, “... you have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.”Ezra continued with the words, “you have transgressed” which means “you, people of Israel, have acted unfaithfully, treacherously and sinfully”, “and have taken strange wives” or “and have remained, abided with and married alien, foreign, unknown and unfamiliar female spouses”, “to increase the trespass” which means “and exceedingly added the unfaithfulness, treachery and sin” “of Israel” or “pertaining to Israel whose name means God prevails and is the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob”. Ezra shared how he told the people of Israel that they exceedingly added to the sin and treachery of Israel because they acted unfaithfully and sinned by marrying pagan foreign woman.

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Ezra how he addressed the people of Israel who were gathered in Jerusalem. He told them they had been unfaithful and sinned because they married foreign wives, and they exceedingly added to the sin of Israel because of this. In other words, Ezra identified the sin that was in the lives of the people of Israel, and when they intermarried with pagan people, they caused the sin of Israel to be “greatly increased”. Anyone who comes to God through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind, must humble themselves, acknowledge their sin and repent as they put their faith and trust in Him. When they do, they will be forgiven of their sins, granted everlasting life and continually convicted by the Holy Spirit and God's word as they constantly relate to Him.

Next time Ezra says, “make confession unto the LORD God”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".